


The Wreckage

by TheWeaselKing



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: All platonic everything, Excessive Treknobabble, Gen, Gratuitous Bug-Related Injury, Rey is an (Adopted) Skywalker, Star Trek AU, Star Wars AU, Star Wars Characters in the Star Trek Universe, tragic backstories alluded to but not straight up mentioned, wow i am a nerd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 12:54:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11335950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeaselKing/pseuds/TheWeaselKing
Summary: The Star Wars Sequel trilogy characters as the senior officers of a Federation Starship.The crew of the USS Resistance is sent to investigate a Maquis crash site.Poe is a human and the First Officer, Finn is Bajoran and the Chief Medical Officer, Rey is part-Romulan and the Chief Engineer, and Leia is, of course, the Captain.





	The Wreckage

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. The species were assigned based on backstory, not personality. Rey's backstory was based on Saavik's in the Wrath of Khan novelization, so basically half-Romulans do exist and all have tragic backstories. Leia's (And Luke's) species was assigned because Vulcan Anakin/Human Padme would kind of make sense. 
> 
> 2\. Poe's wanting to get to know Rose better is basically how I feel about Rose as a character. (I can't wait!!!) 
> 
> 3\. The ship is named Resistance because it was built in response to the Borg Crisis. (Like 'Resistance is Futile,' but it isn't, because Resistance is kinda based on the USS Defiant and therefore mega-powerful. 
> 
> 4\. Thank you so much to my Beta reader, Elinor, who doesn't have an AO3 account to link to. 
> 
> 5\. Sorry about all the science, but I love science. 
> 
> 6\. I will write more if people like this!

_ “First Officer’s Log, Stardate 48213.1. USS Resistance. My first day serving at a command level position and I’m already overwhelmed. I was under the impression that a completed Starship would have non-essential operations functioning. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case, and until either the airlocks or the transporters are able to allow entry, the Resistance’s crew is unable to board, and is blocking several hallways of the Antares Ship Yard headquarters.”  _

*****

A young Starfleet officer wove his way through the crowd, struggling with a duffle bag that had popped open despite its having received stitches from a Starfleet Medical School graduate and best tailor of certain Bajoran internment camp. Struggling with the zipper as he walked, he caught snippets here and there from other people’s conversations. 

“I’m not a child, Master Skywalker, you didn’t need to accompany me--”

“--Tarellian technology has been recreated by Federation scientists, and they’re giving the information--!” 

“--a better internship, but this looks so good on resumes and applications. I’ll--”

“--ago, and you’ve been calling me ‘Father’ privately for over eight. When should I logically expect you to use the term in public?”

“--understand that when I say Klingon literature is dry, I don’t mean it’s boring, it’s anything but--” 

The broken duffle bag ripped the rest of the way open when the Bajoran collided with a human officer, covering the floor with books, clothes, and data padds. 

“ _ Sher hahr kosst _ ,” he mumbled, before apologizing profusely to the human helping him gather his things.

When everything had been clumsily gathered up, he offered his hand to the other man. “Takmor Finn.”

“Poe Dameron.”

“Again, I am so, so sorry about making you drop everything,” said Finn. 

“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t looking where I was going, either,” said Poe, then his winning smile faded. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but jewelry is against Starfleet regulations,” he pointed to his own ear, indicating Finn’s Bajoran earpiece.

“Oh, sure. I’m not on duty, yet, so-”

“Of course!” Poe smiled winningly, before catching a glimpse of a clock. “I have to, um, I have to leave, I think the ship is finally letting senior officers on!”

“Goodbye!” Finn called after him, but Poe barely heard. As first officer, he had several duties to attend to that would be significantly easier without a herd of crewmen boarding at the same time. 

Commander Dameron was in the process of interrogating the computer to learn the state of the medical equipment when he felt someone tap his shoulder.  

He turned to see a half-Vulcan woman in a Starfleet uniform, red for command. She had four pips at her throat, and her hair was arranged into a tight bun on top of her head. Even though she was at least a couple of decades older than he was, her eyes shone with a vitality that he hoped he had, or at least would have one day. 

“Captain Organa. I’ve been looking forward to working with you,” he said, trying to sound like he hadn’t quoted her when he gave his class’s Starfleet Academy Graduation Speech. 

“The same to you, Commander.” She smiled warmly. “Walk with me, Dameron.” Poe obeyed. “We have already received our first mission. A Maquis ship has crash-landed on an uninhabited M-class planet near the Cardassian border, and it is our job to recover the ship and arrest the survivors before the Cardassians get the chance.” 

“If you don’t mind my asking, sir, why don’t they have someone closer do it?”

“We’re the ones investigating the crash because Starfleet has received intelligence that stolen Federation research was aboard the ship that crashed. Because of my prior knowledge of the project, a ship under my command is being assigned.” 

“I didn’t realize that you ever did scientific research,” said Poe. 

“I didn’t perform the research, I supervised the security. As Admiral.” She pursed her lips. “This is top secret intelligence, Commander. No one else can know about this.” 

Poe had, of course, read many reports and heard many rumors about Leia Organa’s brief career as an Admiral. Not half as many as he’d heard about her time as Federation ambassador to Qo’noS after the Treaty of Alliance in 2352. She’d made many connections with the Klingons; her human temper and Vulcan strength had been points in her favor, just not with the Vulcans.

It was well known that she had been a  _ cha’Dich  _ for a Klingon who was accused of treason, and had killed a council member after her friend was wounded. After it was discovered that the council member had framed Leia’s friend, the ambassador was accepted into Klingon society. She was an anomaly in that respect; a Vulcan, human, Starfleet officer, woman, and honorary Klingon warrior. It was suspected, but never confirmed, that she went against the Prime Directive and fought battles alongside Klingons to gain their trust.

After Qo'noS’ moon, Praxis, was destroyed, she was moved from post to post before being assigned a command as Captain, and rapidly rising to the rank of Admiral. For an unknown offense, she had been demoted to Captain several months before the present date. Poe’s friend Karé Kun had it on good authority that Leia had gotten herself demoted intentionally in order to get back at the helm of a Starship.

The Captain radiated power, and Poe couldn’t imagine her ever being satisfied behind an Admiral’s desk. She was at least half a foot shorter than him, but this woman was a deadly opponent in Bat’leth combat, had commanded a fleet that had successfully prevented Borg attack, and was  _ Soh-chim _ to half of the current Klingon High Council. 

“I see.” 

Captain Organa stepped out of the turbolift, and Poe followed.

“Captain on the bridge,” called the helmswoman. 

“Commander, while you’re on my bridge you’ll have to wear your uniform jacket,” she pointed out. Poe started to put on what he’d been carrying over his shoulder before realizing that it wasn’t his uniform jacket, but a baggy, maroon vest. 

“I’m sorry, sir. I must have got my things mixed up with someone else’s.” He put his hand behind his head, looking down. 

“Go get a new one. The rest of the bridge crew should be ready to depart at 1100 hours.” 

 

*****

The woman sharing the elevator with Finn was staring at him, a fact that he was painfully aware of. 

_ Is there something in my teeth?  _ He ran his hand over his head, making sure his hair wasn’t out of place and that he hadn’t grown an extra set of ears.  _ Is it because I’m Bajoran? Maybe she’s never met a Bajoran. No, everyone’s met Bajorans. Maybe she’s never met a dark-skinned Bajoran; a lot of people think there aren’t any. Maybe it’s the earring, it  _ is _ against Starfleet regulation. Do I have something on my face?  _

“I’m sorry, but did you steal that jacket?” the woman asked, breaking the silence. 

She would have been very pretty if she hadn’t been calling him a thief. Her dark hair was draped to hide her ears, but showed a round, pleasant face. As friendly-looking as she was, her face was frozen into an emotionless grimace. There was something a little bit off about her bone structure and the tint to her pale, freckled skin, but nothing Finn could place. 

“What did you say?” 

“Did you steal the jacket?” she repeated. He noticed an accent from somewhere on Earth he couldn’t quite place. 

“Why would you say that?” He held up the garment draped over his arm. “The fact that you would-- hey, this isn’t my jacket!” 

“You’re wearing yours,” she chided. 

“I must have accidentally picked up the wrong thing when I bumped into that guy--ugh-- he must have some of my clothes, then.” 

The woman, whom he noticed was one of the only crewmen he’d seen already on board that was around his age, startled him with a loud giggle. “I’m sorry, you just looked so frustrated, I-”

“It’s fine.” He allowed a smile himself. “It is kind of funny.” 

“I’m Rey. I’m an Engineer.” 

“Finn. Doctor.” They shook hands, but the grin still wasn’t gone from Rey’s face. It remained, but seemed force, like she was trying to hold onto it for as long as possible.  _ She must have really needed a laugh.  _ “How did you know it wasn’t my jacket?”

“The one you’re wearing is blue. That one’s red.”

“I just hope whoever’s jacket it is works on the _ Resistance. _ If they don’t, they might not ever get it back.” He leaned back against the wall of the turbolift. “I’m such a clown.” 

“I  _ have _ seen evidence that would support that, but I’ve only known you for a few minutes. I doubt you would have made it this far in Starfleet if you were like this all the time.” 

“There’s that logic I was expecting,” Finn grumbled. 

Rey raised an eyebrow.

Finn opened his mouth to apologize just as the turbolift stopped. “This is engineering,” Rey said, and stepped out.

*****

Poe had ended up obtaining a new jacket top, and in the hour it took for him to do battle with the replicator, the rest of the bridge crew had arrived. Just like an old Constitution-class, the helm and navigation were sunk into the floor, but unlike a Constitution-class, the sunken area extended all the way to the display. The Captain’s chair, flanked by seats for the First Officer and Chief Medical Officer, was positioned at the back of the sunken area. On the same side as the First Officer’s chair, there was a station against the wall for Communications, being manned by a truly ancient-looking Vulcan man. In the same place on the CMO’s side, there was tactical, a position currently held by Lieutenant Pava, a human friend of Poe’s from the Academy, who nodded at him when he exited the turbolift. Engineering stood between tactical and Communications, and the bridge engineer on duty had her back turned. 

Poe had worked his way up through the ranks in engineering, and he still had a soft spot for it. When he was in the Academy, he’d been a hotshot pilot, but he’d deemed his career more important than setting flying records. He could see the engineer now, and he knew her name was Rose. Rose Something. She’d seemed nice when they’d met in the Antares Yards, and he looked forward to getting to know her over the course of their missions. 

At the helm sat a human ensign in a headscarf, who was passing the time by adapting to the cutting-edge controls. Navigation was run by a half-Klingon, half-human male, bouncing his leg as he waited for something to do. 

“When will we be able to take off, Dameron?” asked the Captain, without looking up.

“All of the essential functions are operational, but transporters, replicators, and most of the medical equipment will have to be repaired en route.” 

“ I’m sure the engineering staff is more than capable of handling it.”

“Fair enough.” 

“Ensign Shamoon, plot a course for the Cardassian Demilitarized Zone, warp five,” ordered Captain Organa. 

“Yes, sir,” came the reply. 

“Engage.” 

*****

Captain Organa was right when she’d said that the engineering staff could handle the non-essential systems. That didn’t mean that Rey didn’t wish it hadn’t been said. In the two days it had taken to get to the Badlands, she personally had repaired 15 replicators, rebuilt four transporters, and rescued two crewmen from an out-of-control holodeck program in addition to her expected duties as Chief Engineer. She hadn’t had any time to herself because of a barely prevented breach in the warp core, and was half-asleep underneath a transporter console when they arrived at their destination. 

“Bridge to Skywalker?” said First Officer Dameron.

“Yes?” She stifled a yawn. 

“Meet us in transporter room two to beam down to the moon’s surface.” 

“I’m already there, sir.”

“Not a transporter issue, I hope?” 

“Not if the moon has a normal atmosphere and minimal interference.”

“Alright. We’ll meet you there.” 

In the year they’d overlapped at the academy, Poe and Rey had developed a bit of a friendship. Poe had been popular and easily accepted by most of his peers, but, being half-Romulan, Rey had been held at a distance by most, even though she claimed to be all Vulcan. After bonding over a shared love of flight, they had taken the minimum biology requirements for engineers together, her as a freshman and him as a senior. Since Poe’s graduation six years earlier, the two had lost touch, and it came as a complete surprise when they were stationed aboard the same starship. 

“It is agreeable to see you after all this time, Poe,” she greeted him.

“You don’t have to pretend to be all Vulcan around me, Lieutenant Commander,” he remarked, patting her shoulder. “Most of the ship already knows you’re half Romulan. A half-Klingon crewman warned me about you before I came here.” 

“What did you tell him?” 

“That I was relying on your human quarter to spare me.” 

Rey snorted. “You’re the only person I’d ever let say that.” 

“Would you have someone else killed by the Tal Shiar, Skywalker?” 

“Don’t push your luck, Dameron.” 

Lieutenant Pava and one Ensign Brown joined them aboard the transporter pad. There was a bit of an issue with the voice commands, but eventually they were able to beam down to Enfield Beta, the M-Class moon where the Maquis vessel had crashed. The moon seemed to be mainly composed of Boreal forests, and the ground was dusted with snow. 

Rey examined her tricorder. “It looks like the ship crashed around 30 meters in that direction.” 

“Are there any life forms?” Pava asked.

“No... yes? The number is fluctuating. There aren’t-- five, no, two, seven? I have no idea how many life forms are in the area.”

“Stay alert,” Dameron ordered. The four began to make the trek to the crash site, led by Commander Dameron. 

“Does anyone else hear that?” Skywalker had stopped short, and was looking around.

“Hear what?” Brown was regarding Rey with suspicion.

“Your your ears are better than ours,” Poe reminded her. “What do you hear?” 

“A buzzing. Sort of.” 

“Mechanical?”

“No, more like an insect.”

The others shrugged off her observation, and they continued over a ridge. They saw the wreckage of a Bajoran raider. One of the wings was shattered, and the other was broken in half. The cockpit seemed to have survived the crash, but the cargo hold was completely busted open. Even though the crash was less than a week old, there were months’ worth of rust damage on the Maquis vessel. 

There were two corpses, one of which was only halfway out of the shell of the cockpit. The flesh looked as if it had been torn off of the bone, which was visible in several places. The human members of the away team had started to hear the buzzing.

“ _ Ryah’na! _ ” Rey swore softly.

“These were people, Skywalker. Show some respect.” 

She grunted what probably wasn’t an apology. 

At around the same time she said that, Poe yelped in pain. In response, Pava drew her phaser, but whatever had attacked him was gone, leaving a hole in the Commander’s arm. A silver insect around the size of a comm badge landed on his leg, and he cried out again. The other three officers stepped back. 

“Have any of you been bitten?” he asked, his face squeezed into a grimace. 

“No,” said Pava. 

“Then get out of this valley.” 

“Why?” asked Ensign Brown. 

In response, Poe held up his arm, showing that the bite was growing. 

“Resistance, beam up Pava, Skywalker, and Brown.”

“You can’t really think we’ll just leave you here, Poe,” said Rey. 

“I’m ordering you, Lieutenant Commander,” he groaned. “Energize.” 

Before the transporter activated, Skywalker ripped off her jacket and threw it to the side. She must have known that an amature engineer would lock onto the comm badge rather than her life sign, because her jacket disappeared and she remained.  

“Idiot!” Poe spat, obviously in pain. “You just disobeyed a direct order.”

“Are you going to court martial me for trying to save your life? That wouldn’t be the usual emotional response in this situation.” An insect landed on Rey’s newly exposed bicep, tearing an oozing green wound. 

“Staying behind to save me from a couple of bugs isn’t the logical solution,” Poe said. 

The Romulan pointed to the gash on her arm. “These are hardly just ‘a couple of bugs,’ and you’re the one who tried to send us away at the first sight of them. Why didn’t you just beam up?”

“I didn’t want them getting the rest of the crew. Like they got you.”

“You reacted very quickly.” 

“I had a bad feeling.” 

“Commander Dameron,” said his comm badge, “Where is Skywalker?” 

Rey started pulling Poe up the hill. 

“She’s here with me, Captain.” 

“That’s right, sir. We’ll need a quarantine field in sickbay,” Rey said, another insect landing on her neck, right above her collarbone.

They heard a rush of air as Captain Organa allowed herself an exasperated sigh. “Is that true, Dameron?”

“Yessir.” 

“I’ll make sure it’s prepared. Notify the  _ Resistance _ when you’re ready to beam up,” the comm badge crackled, and went silent. 

“We should get over the ridge first. So we won’t bring any of the insects.” Poe slung his arm around Rey’s shoulders so she could support his weight. 

Rey grunted in agreement and another bug tore into her wrist, but Poe was in far worse condition with seven or eight bites.

“Takmor to Dameron?”

Before Poe could respond, one of the insects settled onto his face. Instead of answering, he swore. 

“Skywalker here. I’m right next to him.” There was static on the other end of the comm.

“We have a lock.” 

“Two to beam directly to sickbay,” said Rey, as an insect landed on her hip. “Energize.”

When they materialized in sick bay, a new fissure was forming on her hip, and the bug on Poe’s cheek hadn’t even taken a bite of him yet. Skywalker eased Poe onto one of the cots before she met Finn’s eyes. Looking away quickly, she grabbed one of the cups of water that had undoubtedly been left out for Poe and herself, dumped it onto the floor, and trapped the insect against the floor, inside the cup. 

“I’ll make sure you won’t get in trouble,” Poe groaned, but Rey scarcely heard. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on the floor, or rather, anywhere but the growing, gaping wounds across her commander’s body. 

“Thank you, sir,” Rey answered.

“What happened to you?” Takmor Finn asked. He was standing there in his quarantine uniform, a science blue tunic and hood. 

“Insects on the moon’s surface,” Rey panted. She hadn’t even noticed she was out of breath. “Their venom seems to be melting his flesh away.”

He put his gloved hand to her jawline to examine the bite on her neck. “But not yours, apparently.” The doctor’s brow furrowed, and he plucked something off of her belt. “Even though it’s wearing away the metal.” He held up a visibly shrinking piece of rusty metal that was once the Lieutenant Commander’s tricorder.  

“Hopefully a live specimen will help.” She pointed down the overturned cup. “So you can heal him.” 

“I’ll do my best.” Finn held the tricorder up to the light, squinting.  

 

*****

_ “Chief Medical Officer’s log. Supplemental. It appears that the venom found within the insects has corrosive properties, at least to Commander Dameron and a couple of metals used by Starfleet. His blood vessels are being worn away at a molecular level, and his flesh is collapsing without the capillaries supporting them and supplying them oxygen.  I am keeping him in a stasis field until I can find a way to get oxygen into his tissues, and prevent further damage from spreading to the rest of his body and his brain. _

_ “Commander Skywalker is reporting a completely different set of symptoms. She feels weak and fatigued, and is experiencing pain in her joints and abdomen. The only effect that the insects seem to have on both patients is a burning sensation around the sites of infection, which has affected Skywalker’s breathing because of a bite on her neck. Her condition is not nearly as urgent as Dameron’s, but she is being kept in quarantine. The other two officers on the away mission, Lieutenant Pava and Ensign Brown, have not experienced any ill effects, making it unlikely that any of these symptoms were caused by something else on the planet’s surface.  _

_ “Skywalker was able to capture one of the insects, and I am testing some of its venom against my own blood. My blood seems to be reacting similarly to Dameron’s. Something more interesting that I’ve found in my study of the bug is that it isn’t native to Enfield Beta. It doesn’t seem to be native to anywhere, and its genome seems to have been purposefully manipulated. I believe that this insect was created as a bioweapon, and might be part of the real reason a ship designed for combat and exploration was sent to investigate a crashed Maquis ship, but the Captain refuses to answer my questions.”  _

*****

Finn rolled up his jacket sleeves and got to work on a padd and a microscope. Skywalker was sitting cross-legged against a wall inside the quarantine field with her hands behind her head. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she bit almost all the way through her lip. 

“You’re Romulan, right?” 

Rey’s eyes snapped open. “I’m half Romulan.” 

“Alright. I just needed to figure out why your bone structure was different.” 

“I’m exactly what it says in my file, Takmor.”  

“That’s my family name. Bajorans put their individual names after the family name,” he explained. 

“Fascinating.” She did not sound in the least bit fascinated. 

“It’s just if you want to be patronizing and call me by my first name, you should call me Finn. Or maybe you were just calling me by the name I didn’t introduce myself as-”

Rey chuckled dryly. “You’re the one who stole the jacket. I almost forgot about that. Sorry, Finn.” 

Finn glanced at the red uniform jacket that he’d thrown over the back of an extra chair. “I didn’t steal it. I-- found it.” 

“You seem like a good person. I believe you.” 

Instead of further insisting that the jacket wasn’t stolen, he returned to the list of questions on the PADD in front of him. “What was the last thing you ate?” Dr. Takmor turned to face her. 

“An apple. From the replicator.” 

“A normal apple?” he asked. 

“Yeah. An Earth one.” She shrugged. “Red, if it helps.”

“You know what humans say about an apple a day.”

“It’ll make you tired of apples.” 

Finn smiled slowly at her logical mind. “When did you last eat?” 

“Couple days ago. In the morning.” 

“You’re kidding,” Finn demanded. “You know you can’t just not eat, right?” 

Rey uncrossed her legs and placed her hand against the wall to better push herself up. “From personal experience, yes.” 

“What do you want? You can eat whatever as long as I don’t think it’ll exacerbate your symptoms.” Rey got to her feet, but doubled over right away. Finn rushed to her. “Computer, release field.” He was at her side just as she lost her balance. 

“Takmor to Nurse Kosnov!” The nurse on duty was treating burns that had resulted from a broken replicator on deck three. “I need you up here!”

By the time they laid Skywalker down on the medbay cot, she was barely conscious and writhing in pain. She lashed out, and her fist grazed Kosnov. 

“What are you experiencing?” Finn demanded of the engineer. He put weight on her shoulders so she wasn’t a danger anymore.

“My chest burns and aches--” 

“Your heart?” Finn prompted. 

“Her heart’s near her stomach, Doctor,” supplied Nurse Kosnov. 

“Right, right, right.” he released Rey’s arm. “Point to where it hurts.”

She placed her hand to the lower part of her chest. “That’s her liver?” Takmor said, and Kosnov confirmed, it was just a little higher than a human’s. “Dameron’s liver’s going, too,” Finn mumbled. 

Nurse Kosnov looked at the doctor expectantly. 

He held out his hand. “Hypospray.” After the Nurse passed it to him and he used it to sedate Rey.

“What’s happening to them?” she whispered. 

*****

 

“Leia, I don’t know what to tell you.” Admiral Avery said from a small screen on Captain Organa’s desk. “You were given orders to retrieve our research, and you have yet to make any progress.” 

“Two of my people are dying in sickbay because of your research, and if I don’t receive information on how to treat them, I’ll-”

“You’ll be removed from your post for disobeying a direct order. Considering the circumstances of your demotion, I wouldn’t try anything too,” she paused. “Klingon.” 

“My crew doesn’t need to suffer because of mistakes I made, or because of who my son is. Just get me something that could help them.” 

The door to the ready room chimed, just as Avery was about to deny the Captain’s request once more. 

“I’m sorry, Admiral,” Organa said. “We’ll have to continue this later.” She turned off the padd. “Enter.” 

Finn walked into the Captain’s ready room, holding his arms awkwardly behind his back. The room had a couple of chairs for guests, a desk, a model of the  _ Resistance _ , and a Klingon Bat’leth mounted within the Captain’s reach. 

“Is there a problem, Lieutenant Takmor?” 

“Yes, there is.” He never took his eyes off of the Klingon weapon. “I mean, yes, there is, sir.” Finn stood in silence, staring, until Captain Organa interrupted him. 

“Well? What’s the problem?” 

“When I took Commander Dameron out of stasis to confirm a hunch, you know what he said was on the crashed ship?”

“Have a seat, Finn,” said Organa, calmly. 

“Oh, thank you.” He hesitated, and did not sit. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“Go ahead.” 

“Dameron said that there was stolen Federation research aboard the ship.”

She raised an eyebrow, the spitting image of her Vulcan father, with a glimmer of pre-Reform anger in her eyes. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you that.” 

Speaking on one breath, Dr. Takmor continued. “When my nurse looked up the stolen research, she didn’t find anything. The lab that lost it didn’t want Starfleet to know what they were up to, and you used to work security at that lab,” Finn accused. He tugged on his sleeves, hoping he wouldn’t be discharged for this. “I demand to know what’s going on so I can help my patients!” 

The Captain briefly closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. 

“There was an incident, in which some separatists stole several Federation projects. It’s not likely that I’ll be able to, but if I find out anything that I think could help, I’ll let you know.”

“That’s not going to be enough! I hope I can cure them by myself, but without more information--” he trailed off. “Please.” 

As she stood, she rested her fists on her desk, suspiciously close to the Bat’leth, Finn noticed. “I’m doing everything in my power to get you what you need to help them, but right now it looks like we’re on our own.” 

“I’m sorry, sir-”

“It’s fine,” she dismissed. 

“Can you at least tell me what the insects were for? If you know that much, I mean.” 

“Most of what happened in that lab was in response to the threat of the Borg. 2366 produced a lot of new research and weapons for the Federation,” she sighed as she spoke. “Including this ship.” 

“So it was designed to act against the Borg? That must be why it causes rust.” Finn met Leia’s eyes. “It causes rust.” 

He ran out of the ready room and straight to the turbolift like a Cardassian army was after him. 

*****

“Nurse Kosnov, I’m going to need 20 CCs of Zinc,  _ Discorea alata  _ RNA, and samples of acetobacter for Dameron,” Finn said. “Now that he’s back in stasis, I’ll need you to drain his Oxyhaemoglobin so the iron in his blood doesn’t keep getting over-oxidized. There’s a lot of oxygen in these molecules.” He bent over a data padd and a microscope. 

“And Skywalker?” 

“Copper chelation therapy. I can set that up myself.”

Within a couple of hours, Poe was bending Kosnov’s ear talking about some robotics experiments that were apparently being performed by the Orions, and Rey was staring at the machine that was draining, filtering, and replenishing her blood supply. 

Finn took a seat beside her, fastening on his earring as he got settled in the stiff chairs meant for sickbay visitors, right next to the Chief Engineer. 

“Why are you wearing that?” Rey pointed at his ear weakly, and he noticed she looked a little jaundiced. 

“It’s a  _ d’ja pagh.  _ It shows my religion. Most Bajorans wear them,” he replied distractedly, placing a hand on her liver to check for swelling. 

“I meant to ask why you’re putting it on now.” Rey was looking down at Finn’s hand now, as he had withdrawn it from her stomach hastily. 

“Starfleet dress code doesn’t allow jewelry. I’m putting it on because I’m off duty now.” 

“I’m sorry you can’t wear it all the time. Some people put in requests for dress code exceptions,” Poe said, regretting chastising Finn for wearing his earring in the shipyard. 

“I haven’t had time. People get hurt a lot on this ship.” 

Kosnov had gone into the front room, and Poe needed someone to talk to, so he continued. “How did you fix us?”

“The first thing I really had to figure out was that it was a virus that released venom, not a venom on its own. It targeted iron, and caused extremely fast oxidization. Your blood was rusting, so I broke down the rust and I’m working to repair the damage,” Finn explained. “And it looks like I’m doing pretty well. The agent that the virus used to cause the rust contained an acid and copper. The acid is why it still hurts where you were bitten, and the copper is why it affected Rey--sorry--Commander Skywalker.” 

“Either is fine,” she said. 

“Her blood is copper based, and excess copper started to build up in her liver and joints.”

“Why did you take me out of stasis?” Poe asked. “Was it just to ask me about-”

Takmor put a finger to his lips, signalling for the other officer to shut up.

“Copper built up in your systems, too. In life forms with iron-based blood, you can see copper deposits in the eyes. It looks like a little golden hoop in the iris.” 

“So, when can we leave?” Rey tried to sit up and jerked the tube attaching her to the machine filtering her blood. 

“You’ll have to come in for more treatment every day for about a week,” he said. “Until those treatments are complete, I’m not comfortable approving you for active duty. Poe can’t go until I evaluate him and find him healthy, which probably won’t be for a while.”

Poe sighed. 

“Neither of you can use dermal regenerators, since they might stimulate the virus into releasing more venom. You’ll have to heal naturally,” Finn said. 

“A couple of scars are a small price to pay, Doc.” Poe grinned. 

“When can I tell the Captain she’s allowed to come in and retrieve official statements from the officers?” Nurse Kosnov asked.

“When does she want to come?” Finn said. 

“She’s outside right now,” she replied. Both Rey and Poe sat up a little straighter.  

“Tell her to come in, I guess.” 

Captain Organa walked in, taking control of the room like it was her job. Which it was. He stood up out of respect. “I’m glad to see that everyone is doing well.” 

Finn tried to sound idle. “They’d be doing a lot better if I’d had more information. _ ” _

“May I speak to you privately, Doctor?” If she was angry, her Vulcan face didn’t show it. 

“Of course, sir.”

She led him into an operating room. There wasn’t a door between them and the others, so they kept their voices low. “It wasn’t up to me! If it was, you’d have all the  _ khest’n _ research you wanted! Not just the insects, every other project that was taken.” 

“Wait, you tried to get it?” 

“Of course I did. I don’t like being powerless,” the Captain hissed. “I am responsible for my officers just like I was responsible for that research! I exhausted every possible option trying to get you that information.”

He didn’t hear her; the last part of what she’d said was sinking in. “There are more of these things.”

She nodded. 

“Will we-” 

“It’s very likely that we’ll be assigned to every mission that involves them,” she interrupted. 

“Can you get me more information, then?” pleaded Finn. 

“I’ll try.” The Captain’s expression softened. “I believe that you will be able to handle the situations capably should they arise, with or without the research. Your work over the past few days was admirable, and I wouldn’t have chosen you for this assignment if you weren’t one of the best young doctors Starfleet had to offer.”

“You chose me?”

“You’re the only person on this ship who can overrule my decisions. I had to make sure you were the best of the best.”

“Thank you, sir.” He held himself a little bit higher and puffed out his chest.

Apparently, he looked like he was straining himself, because the Captain said, “At ease, doctor.” She swept past him into the sick bay’s main room. “When can I count on your reports, officers?” 

“You’ll have mine as soon as I’m able to write it, Captain,” said Dameron. “So really it’s up to the good doctor here.” 

“Of course,” Leia turned her attention to Rey, who was tapping the base of her machine. A clear tube took her dark green blood out of her body, and returned it, lighter, through a tube just under the first. The engineer, who knew she wouldn’t be able to work for another couple of days, was already itching to take it apart. “I hope there won’t be any more miscommunications, Commander Skywalker.” 

The commander in question looked at her Captain.  _ Miscommunications?  _ Then, she noticed Poe wink at her from the other bed.  _ He covered for me. _ “There won’t be.”

“Good girl.” Captain Organa kissed her chief engineer’s forehead, which struck Finn as wildly inappropriate. But of course he didn’t say anything. “I’ll expect your report before his.” 

“Captain?” Poe interjected. “I think there needs to be some talk about the dress code, actually.” 

“Yes?” 

“I think that Bajoran officers should be allowed to wear earrings while they’re on duty,” he said. Finn’s hand drifted to his left ear. “It’s a piece of their culture, and respecting cultures is one of the fundamental values upon which Starfleet was based.” 

“Who am I to dishonor those values? I’ll send out a message to the crew,” she said, a smile sneaking onto her face. “Jewlery will now be permitted for officers aboard the  _ Resistance _ for religious and cultural reasons.”

“Thank you so much, Captain,” said Dameron. 

Finn spoke up. “Thanks. Both of you.” He looked between Captain Organa and Poe.

Poe waved his thanks aside. “I just really care about Bajoran customs. And people who save my life.” 

"I look forward to reading all three of your reports,” the Captain remarked, and then marched out of sick bay. 

There was a long, awkward silence following the Captain’s exit. Nurse Kosnov must have punched out while Finn was having the conversation with Captain Organa, leaving Finn alone with his patients, who could only make the silence more awkward. 

“I’m sorry, but Finn, buddy--” Poe furrowed his brow. “--is that my jacket?”

“Oh, um, yeah.” Finn blinked. The jacket he’d accidentally ‘stolen’ in the shipyard was draped over a chair. 

“That’s where that went.” 

Rey cracked a small grin. “You did steal it!” 

“I didn’t steal it, I accidentally picked it up back at Antares.”

Finn reached for the jacket to hand it back to Poe, but Poe shook his head. “You keep it.” 

“What would I do with a command jacket? I’m a doctor.” 

Dameron chuckled. “I just-- want you to have it.” 

“Thanks?” Finn went to check on Rey’s chelation therapy, and found that her first session was more or less complete. He unhooked the machine and discharged her, reminding her not to return to work for the next five days. The patient wear was thankfully modest enough for Rey to get back to her quarters. Her mostly ruined, but freshly sterilized, uniform from the away mission was handed to her in a small cloth shoulder bag.

She assured Poe that she’d come visit him, and shook Dr. Takmor’s hand goodbye. She was hardly out of sickbay five seconds before she felt someone tap her shoulder. 

“Hey, Lieutenant Commander Skywalker,” Finn said. “I forgot to ask you something. Have dinner with me?” 

“Doctor, that’s hardly appropriate-”

“No! Not like that. As friends.” Rey opened her mouth to interrupt, but she didn’t get the chance. “I mean that I want to make sure you remember to eat, and I feel like I should be, like, actively checking to see if you are.” 

“So you want to have dinner so I remember to eat?” she raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes.” 

“I see no problem with that.” 

“Perfect. I look forward to it.” They stood in silence, neither sure of what to say. “I meant to ask, what was it with the Captain kissing-”

“It’s complicated,” she interrupted. Then, realizing what he’d assume, she kept going. “Her brother’s my foster father. She’s, uh, sort of family?” 

“There’s something we could talk about at dinner.” Takmor smiled. “1900 hours?” 

“Alright. But,” she asserted, “don’t ask me about my family or adoption. And I won’t ask you about the Bajoran resistance cell you were undoubtedly a part of.” 

Finn briefly replayed every time someone had asked if he’d ever killed a Cardassian. “You’ve got a deal.”

*****

_ “Captain’s log, Stardate 48213. 6. Because of Dr. Takmor’s commendable medical skill, both officers affected by the experiment are expected to make a full recovery. The experiment itself and the wreckage of the Maquis ship has been beamed into a containment field aboard a shuttlecraft, which will now be stored in Cargobay 3 until we can rendezvous with the science ship being sent to collect it.” _

_ “I am concerned for my crew, as we will likely have to deal with many more of these experiments without sufficient background information. However, I have no doubt that these are the strongest, most capable men and women that Starfleet has to offer. The  _ Resistance _ is prepared to face anything, which will be an extremely valuable characteristic in the coming months.”  _

_ “End log.” _


End file.
